Bird flu death: What happens next and is there a vaccine?

In Cambodia, an 11-year-old woman caught chook flu and died within the hospital she was taken to. His father examined constructive for the accountable virus, however it’s unclear whether or not he contracted the an infection from him or from the household’s poultry assortment.

With Clare Wilson

A woman in Cambodia died from contracting chook flu, presumably from her household’s small flock of chickens and geese. No less than one in every of his shut contacts has additionally examined constructive, however authorities are nonetheless awaiting the outcomes of checks in his wider circle.

How many individuals died from chook flu in latest case clusters?

An 11-year-old woman from Cambodia died in a rural space of ​​Prey Veng province, close to the capital Phnom Penh, from a subtype of the chook flu virus H5N1. She developed flu-like signs on February 16 and was hospitalized when her situation worsened, the place she died. Of the 12 shut contacts examined, solely his father has to date been constructive for the virus.

How did he catch it?

It might have been from his household’s assortment of small geese and chickens, as all of the animals in his family – 22 chickens and three geese – had not too long ago died. BNO News, however the reason for their demise is unknown. A lot of deaths additionally occurred amongst wild birds within the area.

Is chook flu now spreading amongst people?

Even when greater than 12 of the woman’s contacts check constructive, this doesn’t imply that the virus has advanced to unfold simply amongst people. His father and different circumstances might have contracted the virus straight from contaminated birds, he says. Wendy Barclay at Imperial Faculty London. “If he had contact with the poultry within the village, it’s attainable that his buddies with whom he performed with did additionally. [with the birds],” says.

Ought to we anticipate extra circumstances?

Since 2021, avian flu has been growing quickly in wild chook populations, spreading to home poultry flocks and typically different animals that eat birds reminiscent of foxes and seals. This makes the virus extra prone to go on to people, he says. James Wood at Cambridge College. “We anticipate some circumstances to occur” [human] “It is a illness with such a widespread an infection,” Wooden advised the Science Media Heart in the UK.

How lethal is chook flu in people?

Within the final 20 years, there have been about 900 identified circumstances of human an infection with varied strains of H5N1, about half of that are deadly. However Barclay says the demise price could appear greater than it truly is as a result of there could also be many circumstances the place folks do not develop signs or will not be examined for the virus. It is regarded as genetic variants of about 30 completely different H5N1 viruses presently circulating in birds, which possible differ of their potential to make people sick.

Has vaccine manufacturing began?

Mass manufacturing of a chook flu vaccine can’t be began as a result of we don’t but know which variant, if any, might begin spreading freely amongst people. The effectiveness of flu vaccines is determined by producing viruses which are as shut as attainable to the vaccine that people will finally catch.

Producers are about to start out making the same old seasonal vaccines earlier than winter arrives within the northern hemisphere. In the event that they swap to getting their H5N1 vaccines early, they threat not getting sufficient seasonal flu vaccines later this 12 months. “Seasonal vaccination is essential in saving lives” Sylvie Briand The World Well being Group (WHO) stated at a press convention this week. “You must stability the dangers and advantages when speaking about switching vaccines.”

However producers routinely conduct preparatory research utilizing “candidate vaccine viruses”, and WHO has requested them to take action utilizing a collection of H5N1 viruses, in accordance with an announcement this week.

Are there any therapies?

There are a number of antiviral therapies for seasonal flu, reminiscent of oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which is used as a remedy and preventive drugs amongst shut contacts of individuals identified to have chook flu.

In just a few circumstances, the H5N1 virus developed resistance to oseltamivir, however this gave the impression to be linked to the virus turning into much less virulent and fewer contagious on the similar time. On the press convention, WHO stated it’s in talks with antiviral producers about how shortly they will enhance manufacturing.

What if chook flu begins to unfold amongst people?

Briand stated that if human-to-human transmission is found, well being officers will attempt to cease the unfold of the virus amongst people, in addition to stop additional animal-to-human transmission. He stated this may be “treating circumstances, isolating them so they do not transmit the virus additional, and likewise figuring out contacts.” “For post-exposure prophylaxis, we are able to use antivirals to deal with contacts and cut back the chance of additional human transmission.”

WHO can even search to arrange neighboring areas for additional unfold utilizing intensive virus surveillance, informing communities on the best way to cut back their threat of an infection, and serving to healthcare staff keep away from an infection with protecting tools.